1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a hard disk drive configured by storing disk construction members such as a disk and a head in its enclosure and an electric conductor sheet used for the hard disk drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hard disk drives having various configurations have been configured for storing disk construction members such as a disk and a head in its enclosure. In recent years, the number of hard disk drives using a GMR (giant magneto resistive) head has increased in order to achieve higher recording densities and to reduce the size of the drive. Since GMR heads are relatively vulnerable to electrostatic discharge (hereafter referred to as ESD), additional precautions are necessary to minimize the risk of damage to the hard disk drive.
Conventional hard disk drives having GMR heads are commonly used in PCs, but they are not readily accessible to the end user. Therefore, it is sufficient to only consider the user""s operation of the hard disk drive when manufacturing the PC. That is, a conventional hard disk drive is configured by storing disk construction members in an enclosure composed of a top cover with the electronic card-side exposed. Although the electronic card-side of the hard disk drive is typically not handled by the operator, the top cover side is touched by the operator and is exposed to potential ESD damage. Therefore, precautions should be taken to protect the drive from ESD. Moreover, further ESD protective measures should be taken for drives hitherto known because only operating them by specific operators having the knowledge of ESD is considered.
A hard disk drive has an enclosure with disk construction members and is characterized by covering the enclosure with an electrically conductive sheet. The electrically conductive sheet protects the drive regardless of which direction an ESD charge is applied. The electrically conductive sheet does not permit ESD to pass through the disk construction members stored in the enclosure. Therefore, it is possible to form a structure in which a GMR head or the like in an enclosure is not damaged due to ESD even if the enclosure is handled by a general end user. Moreover, the present invention relates to an electrically conductive sheet for covering at least both principal planes of the enclosure of a hard disk drive constituted as described above.
Preferable modes of the invention include at least both principal planes of an enclosure being covered by the electrically conductive sheet in such a way that both sheets on both principal planes are electrically connected. In addition, portions where the enclosure contacts the disk construction members on both principal planes may also be covered and electrically interconnected. Furthermore, the electrically conductive sheet may be bonded to the surface of the enclosure by an adhesive, or provided with an opening at a position corresponding to an enclosure portion that must be brought into contact with an external atmosphere.
The present invention is made to solve the problems of the prior art and its object is to provide a hard disk drive not damaged due to ESD even if the drive is operated by a general end user. The above as well as objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.